Daytona Beach court aims to stop recidivism among veterans

Friday

Dec 13, 2013 at 6:13 PM

By Frank Fernandezfrank.fernandez@news-jrnl.com

DAYTONA BEACH — Circuit Judge David Beck looked at the former military men and women in his courtroom Friday and put the meaning of Volusia County’s new veterans court in words that resonate with warriors.“Don’t leave anybody behind,” Beck said. “You just don’t do that. You don’t leave your buddies behind. I truly believe at a much more profound level that’s what we are all doing.”Beck doesn’t want to leave veterans jammed in a loop of recidivism. And he hopes the veterans court — the first in the 7th Circuit which covers Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties — helps put veterans who ran afoul of society back on the right track. “For my 11 years on the bench we’ve pretty much practiced revolving door justice — in one door out the other back again, back again,” Beck said.Beck said the court will help connect the former military men and women to services and groups that can help them in their new battle against enemies that include substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorders. The veterans can get free services from the Department of Veterans Affairs if ordered to undergo anger management, for example, by the court.But Beck said the veterans will not get any special consideration on the charges themselves.“The only benefit from a charge standpoint is that the services that we mandate they can get through the VA,” Beck said. “No, it’s not a free pass.”The program is open to veterans with honorable or general discharges who have been charged with misdemeanors. Friday’s was the second session. The first session last month had about three veterans, a kind of trial run, said Ludmilla Lelis, court communications officer. The veterans court joins the circuit’s other specialty courts like DUI court and several versions of drug court geared to different types of offenders, she said.“Several of the judges noticed that there were these veterans coming into the system, that veterans court had become popular in other parts of the country and had been very successful in trying to help these veterans become law-abiding citizens again.”Beck said the State Attorney’s Office could also influence who can enter the program since prosecutors may insist on prosecuting someone with the aim of having the person locked away in jail.Managing Assistant State Attorney David Cromartie said through spokeswoman Klare Ly that, “The Veterans Court is a great option to resolve cases in a way that meets the goals that the Florida Legislature has outlined in the Florida Statutes and treats the underlying causes of criminal activity.”Beck said a number of people on probation violate it because they can’t afford treatment.“The VA offers substance abuse evaluation,” Beck said. “They offer anger management in what is really unique to me PTSD, the stuff that is really the core of their anger.”Beck handled about a half-dozen cases Friday at the Courthouse Annex on City Island in what he expects will be an increasing number of veterans.One of those cases was Wayne Caudle, a 36-year-old who served as an operations specialist in the U.S. Navy. Caudle was charged with misdemeanor battery in September after an argument with his wife over his veteran’s benefits, according to a charging affidavit. His wife of four years, Angel Caudle, said he charged at her and shook her by the shoulders while yelling at her, the affidavit said. Another woman in the house said Caudle struck his wife, the affidavit said.Caudle entered a veterans court agreement, similar to deferred prosecution, on Nov. 8. The agreement is a list of requirements that, if completed in a year, would mean the domestic battery charge will be dropped. Caudle cannot have firearms or go to bars and must submit to random drug testing, according to the agreement. He must also stay away from the victim and must take an anger management class.Caudle’s progress is being supervised by Dennis Bowling with court operations. Bowling said Caudle was doing well.That prompted a scene not typical courtroom.“Mr. Caudle, you know what, this is so foreign to me,” Beck said. “You understand, it is not my style.”With that the judge started to clap as the rest of the courtroom joined in.“I would render a salute. I’m not sure I’m supposed to. I get in trouble for that once in a while but I salute you,” Beck said. “You’re doing a good job. You keep it up. You are making us all proud.”After the hearing as he spoke to reporters in the hallway, Caudle denied doing anything wrong.“It’s not something I did, but I was charged with it (and must) deal with the consequences,” he said. And Caudle praised the veterans court.“I think overall veterans court is going to help a lot of veterans,” he said.An Air Force veteran in court Friday was Vicky Jenrette, 60, of Port Orange. She was charged in October with driving with a suspended license and with an unassigned tag which had been reported stolen. The petty theft charge was dropped and she entered no contest pleas to driving with a canceled license and with an unassigned tag. The judge withheld adjudication, so that she can say she was not convicted. She must pay a $223 fine and $50 in court cost.Jenrette said after the hearing that someone else was helping her out and put the license plate on the car.She spoke highly of veterans court and said she originally faced $2,000 in fines and court costs.“I think it’s a great idea,” she said.Vietnam Veterans of America Daytona Beach Chapter 1048 stands ready to help the vets, said Rod Phillips, the group’s president who was in attendance with other veterans.“It’s all about rehabilitation for the defendant,” Phillips said.The group’s founder, Joe Pizzimenti, said the veterans court could give a vet a chance to avoid jail time. “If somebody were to be given community service perhaps we can assist along those lines where they can work with us in some of our civilian programs,” Pizzimenti said.